Ghana defender Baba Abdul Rahman has been handed his debut start at Chelsea in their opening Champions League match of the season against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Wednesday, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.
The 21-year-old has been named in the Blues' starting line-up for the first time since joining the English club last month.
Rahman gets his chance as promised by manager Jose Mourinho who is desperate to return his under-firing side back to winning ways in the match at Stamdford Bridge.
Rahman joined Chelsea in a reported £22m move from German club Augsburg in August.
The Ghanaian has however not been fielded – not even as a substitute – since his big money move.
The former Greuther Furth man now gets his chance to start for the English champions in his favourite left-back position.
Baba Rahman’s emergence in Chelsea’s starting lineup means Cesar Azpilicueta has been moved to his normal right-back position.
The Spanish defender has been playing in a make-shift left-back position due to the presence of Branislav Ivanovic who has been justifiably dropped from the Chelsea starting roaster for his below par performance since the start of the season.
Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma are Mourinho’s preferred starting central defensive pair for the game against the Israeli side.
Willian, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek, Oscar and Eden Hazard makeup the packed midfield with Loic Remy the lone man upfront.
Chelsea XI against Maccabi Tel Aviv: Begovic; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Cahill (c), Baba Rahman; Loftus-Cheek, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Remy.